Protests Erupt Against Federal Immigration Enforcement in California

Fri Dec 05 2025 05:56:44 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Demonstrators voiced their opposition to U.S. immigration enforcement efforts outside a Coast Guard base in Alameda, signaling rising tensions over immigration policy in the region.

On Thursday, around 150 protesters gathered outside the U.S. Coast Guard base in Alameda, California, in response to the arrival of U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents tasked with enforcing immigration laws. The situation escalated as police used a flash-bang grenade to clear a small group at the entrance. Local leaders, including San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and California Governor Gavin Newsom, condemned the operation, claiming it is designed to incite violence among communities already facing turmoil over immigration issues. The federal agency has cited a 'whole of government' approach to tackle illegal immigration and associated threats.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Protests erupted on Thursday outside a U.S. Coast Guard base in the San Francisco Bay Area where federal immigration enforcement agents were arriving. About 150 individuals gathered, many holding signs reading “No ICE or troops in the Bay,” protesting the increased presence of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in support of immigration enforcement. The demonstrators expressed their discontent with the federal government's actions, fearing that such operations would exacerbate tensions within their communities.

The police engaged with demonstrators, deploying at least one flash-bang grenade to disperse them from the entrance of the base as CBP vehicles entered. Reports indicate that over 100 federal agents, including those from Customs and Border Protection, are expected in the area as part of a broader immigration enforcement initiative.

Local authorities and leaders quickly condemned the operation. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and California Governor Gavin Newsom voiced significant concerns, arguing that deploying these federal agents might provoke unnecessary violence and distress among the immigrant population and their allies in the community.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Coast Guard emphasized that the federal government was employing a comprehensive strategy to detect, deter, and act against illegal immigration and narco-terrorism, asserting the necessity of their operations to protect national security.

The protests are not isolated, as they reflect growing national tensions around immigration policy under the current administration, with past instances of deploying National Guard troops to cities like Washington, D.C., and Memphis to address issues surrounding crime and safety during immigration enforcement actions.